up next is steve forbes. after that we will be talking with matt bennett about gun background checks and gun sales in the u.s. mr. forbes coming from our studio in new york in just a few minutes after "washington journal" continues. [video clip] >> that they really started to get worried in the summer and fall of 1774. the british admirals and generals and diplomats were reporting to the crown that the colonists were sending ships everywhere to try to get ammunition and muskets and cannon. this was after the british had sent more troops to boston after the boston tea party and the so-called coercive acts, and it's clear that the colonists were pulling together ammunition and cannon. maybe they didn't intend to use it. that was a big debate. the king on october 1774 basically prohibited british ships from taking ammunition and everything to the colonies unless it was officially sanctioned. they were very alert to this. as soon as the colonies found out about the order prohibiting ammunition and munitions from